fil ver ; for, when in want, they complained to their leaders, who willingly liftened to them, and gave them advice by pointing out to them the richeft men in the town and faying,—' Go to fuch and fuch perfons, and tell them we want to fpeak to them/ They dire&ly went, and thofe they fought were afraid to refufe following them. On their arrival, they were told the good town of Ghent was in want of money to pay their foldiers, who were aiding to, guard and prefcrve their rights and franchifes, and that it wis neceffary the workmen fhould live. They raifed inftantly among themfelvcs the fum demanded ; for, had they refufed, they would have been put to death, on pretence of being traitors to the good town of Ghent, and indifferent to its ho-nour or profit. Thus did thefe wicked people become m afters of the town, and continued lb as long as the war lafted againft their lord. In truth, if the rich men and nobility of the town were beaten by fuch rods, one cannot pity, nor any way excufe them, for they were the primary caufe of all this mifchief. When the earl of Flanders fent thither his bailiff to dojuf-tice on fome wicked perfons r could they not have remained fteady and have affifted him in this aft, feeing the rebels were then in very fmall numbers ? But it appeared they were quite indifferent whether the affair turned out well or ill, or if they had war or peace. They muft have been fenfible, that if they made war on their lord, the ill-intentioned would be their matters and lords of thç town, and that they could not turn them out when they - pleafed. 316